The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has called on the Senate President Godswill Akpabio to reverse the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi.
Ningi who represents Bauchi Central in the upper chamber was suspended for three months over an interview in which he alleged that the National Assembly padded the 2024 N28.7 trillion budget as against N25tn.
Ningi was quoted as saying, “For the first time in Nigerian history, today we are operating two different budgets. One budget was approved by the National Assembly and signed by President Bola Tinubu, and the one was implemented by the presidency.
“The one approved by us is N25tn while the one operating by the Federal Government is N28tn.”
Two days after Ningi resigned as the Chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum, he was replaced by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua (APC Katsina Central).
In a statement dated March 16, 2024, and signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the group urged Akpabio “to immediately reinstate the whistleblowing senator.
SERAP also urged the Senate President to refer the allegation to the country’s anti-graft agencies – the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes Commission, which would improve public trust in the Senate.
“Akpabio should urgently refer the allegations that lawmakers padded the 2024 budget by irregularly inserting projects worth N3.7 trillion to appropriate anti-corruption agencies for investigation and prosecution.
“Referring these allegations to appropriate anticorruption agencies would be consistent with the lawmakers’ oath of office and the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended),” the statement noted.